WASHINGTON— Don Santa, president and CEO of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, today lauded the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of Representative Mike Pompeo’s legislation (H.R. 161) to improve the natural gas transmission pipeline permitting process:
“We applaud the House for approving this legislation, which will improve the permitting process for interstate natural gas pipelines. Pipelines are one of the keys to realizing the benefits of America’s natural gas revolution because they are the indispensable link from the supply source to the ultimate gas consumer. “The Pompeo bill is consistent with the principal recommendation of an INGAA Foundation report on permitting released in December of 2012. The report found that, while FERC does an effective job of reviewing applications to build new pipelines, it lacks the authority to enforce permitting deadlines for other federal and state agencies. This deficiency increasingly is causing pipeline project delays. Providing clear permitting deadline authority will add certainty to the process and encourage timely decision-making. “We hope the Senate takes prompt action on this legislation that will facilitate the responsible and orderly development of infrastructure that will enable consumers to enjoy more fully the benefits of the shale revolution.”
